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Video: Suspicious Device With Fuse Shuts Down Highway in North Idaho

The cylinder was about 3 inches long, but the homemade device looked too much like a bomb, and that triggered North Idaho law enforcement to shut down a highway for nearly five hours on Monday.

The incident occurred on Bonner County's Highway 200, just outside of Sandpoint. That's where a nearby grass fire led to the discovery of the suspicious device. This morning's Coeur d'Alene Press reports that the device was made from plumbing tubing and was about 1 inch in diameter. The device also had a fuse, which had been partially lit. Officials said the fuse might have sparked the grass fire.

Idaho State Police began diverting traffic away from the area at about 1:45 p.m. Pacific Time and kept motorists away from the area until early Monday evening.